Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was a bright-eyed, first-year head coach at the NFL Scouting Combine a year ago, but he didn't have a good feel for his team's strengths and weaknesses.
via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After seeing on Mike & Mike where the words uttered by CJ2K were considered a major mistake on CJ's part, maybe its time to finally come clean- all of us- to the quaint little secret we all knew for so long:A running back is not a very good RB when he runs behind an OL that is having serious problems creating space to run in.

There are very few backs in NFL history who have performed consistently above the board when defenders are saying hello to them 2 yards deep in the backfield. Just like they don't fare to well either when the only thing they see in front of them are the numbers of their blocking buddies moving in reverse.

As was pointed out on Mike & Mike, there was Barry Sanders, who seemed to create his own space quite often. There too was Walter Payton, who was a perfect combination of speed and power that could fight through a tackle or slip through another just to get to an opening many times. There was Jim Brown, who could shrug off a defender like a fly than outrun a CB to the edge every week.

That is 3 Backs (in their prime) in the span of over 60 years, that you could expect to be above board even though their line could turn in a poor overall performance in a game.

The others for the most part, needed the gap, or hole, or opening to be there somewhere to get started in gaining good positive yards play after play. Some backs don't get near enough credit for the fact that they actually get some positive yards despite having to negotiate through a wall of bodies before they get to the line.

OL lines need to get more credit when the team runs well, and OL's need to take more blame when the team does not. Period.

After seeing on Mike & Mike where the words uttered by CJ2K were considered a major mistake on CJ's part, maybe its time to finally come clean- all of us- to the quaint little secret we all knew for so long:A running back is not a very good RB when he runs behind an OL that is having serious problems creating space to run in.There are very few backs in NFL history who have performed consistently above the board when defenders are saying hello to them 2 yards deep in the backfield. Just like they don't fare to well either when the only thing they see in front of them are the numbers of their blocking buddies moving in reverse.As was pointed out on Mike & Mike, there was Barry Sanders, who seemed to create his own space quite often. There too was Walter Payton, who was a perfect combination of speed and power that could fight through a tackle or slip through another just to get to an opening many times. There was Jim Brown, who could shrug off a defender like a fly than outrun a CB to the edge every week.That is 3 Backs (in their prime) in the span of over 60 years, that you could expect to be above board even though their line could turn in a poor overall performance in a game.The others for the most part, needed the gap, or hole, or opening to be there somewhere to get started in gaining good positive yards play after play. Some backs don't get near enough credit for the fact that they actually get some positive yards despite having to negotiate through a wall of bodies before they get to the line.OL lines need to get more credit when the team runs well, and OL's need to take more blame when the team does not. Period.

Hey Nopa-D ,Thought I would drop in on you before you take an entire page to explain how yesterdays Raider victory was a once in a lifetime thing that will never happen again , or the "We didn`t have Troy ",excuses began . Face the facts , "big Bum" knew not to run his mouth this year , the hit on DHB was dirtier than the one on Swan years ago ,although I doubt he will cry as much, and most importantly we have bragging rights now . See you in the funny pages.

<quoted text>Hey Nopa-D ,Thought I would drop in on you before you take an entire page to explain how yesterdays Raider victory was a once in a lifetime thing that will never happen again , or the "We didn`t have Troy ",excuses began .Face the facts , "big Bum" knew not to run his mouth this year , the hit on DHB was dirtier than the one on Swan years ago ,although I doubt he will cry as much, and most importantly we have bragging rights now .See you in the funny pages.

I don`t know who you are or where you came from but I would really like to shake your hand some day!! Ole JW could never say it better.

On Mike they are expressing their outrage because Ed Reed got suspended. This creates one hell of a sour taste. Not because their complaining (I actually agree with them in being against suspending NFL players for acts done on the field), but because of the nausiating game of pick and choose they play when they discuss who should be punished vs. who should not.

Just hearing Greeny talk of his reason: "This guys Ed Reed!!! You can't suspend him. How can you suspende one of the best DB's of all time?"

THAT IS SO IDIOTICLY STUPID. IF the reason you do- or don't do- such things, has anything to do with (who) or (who they play for) the rule has no validity whatsoever. Nausiating to hear someone not being against certain players being treated that way but pounding the table in essence because of WHO it is TO THEM personaly.

Golic goes down on this too. Looks like he;s about to wet himself with the fervor he's puting out in saying the rule stinks, its no good, can't be done, ridiculous..........

In his defense, he has been uncomfortable with what the league has been doing, and made it clear back when it all started. Still, to NOW be freaking out (because of who it is) is totally not a legitimate reason to do so. If Golic had so much passion, where the blazes was it when other players were find or suspended. Never seen him so upset. He certainly did not have to worry about taking a valuim when Harrison got suspended.

Which brings us to the next gaff made by Greeny. He stated he was surprised the league suspended Reed not because of the hit but because in his opinion, he felt he did not have a reputation.

WOW!! Now the league is supposed to suspend not because of violation, but because of perception. That is exactly why the rule stinks, when people like Greeny would be abusive in how they used the rule based on other things than vialating the rules.

NFL is such a joke! They just recinded Ed Reed's one game suspension for launching himself head first into Sanders and changed it to a $50,000 fine. Maybe we should just say there are no rules, since nobody knows who the rules really apply too until well after the incidents occur.

How in the world does a one game suspension on an obvious launch play turn into a slap on the wrist AFTER they already suspended Harrison on the basis that he had to be, because the system said that was the next step. What system?

How about just telling us who you like and who you don't like. Ryan Clark should take notice. He isn't gonna get a slap on the wrist on a similar play. He probably won't even commit a penalty. Rules don't apply to him the way they do to Reed.

I'm starting to believe the Saints players after this. If anything doesn't bring the validitiy of how the league office operates into question this certainly does.

<quoted text>Hey Nopa-D ,Thought I would drop in on you before you take an entire page to explain how yesterdays Raider victory was a once in a lifetime thing that will never happen again , or the "We didn`t have Troy ",excuses began .Face the facts , "big Bum" knew not to run his mouth this year , the hit on DHB was dirtier than the one on Swan years ago ,although I doubt he will cry as much, and most importantly we have bragging rights now .See you in the funny pages.

Not sure about the once in a lifetime thing, seems as though the Raiders of recent have had our number for a number of reasons or for unknown reasons, depending on the perspective. That said, I wouldn't quantify the hit on Heyward-Bey as dirty, he at least was involved in the play and Clark seemed contrite after the hit.

For me at least, I'd never use the excuses or reasoning "if we had this guy or that guy," every team has injuries. Each team has to field the best 11 on a side they can.

all these things are nice, but how can you stop players from blown assigments, penalties, dropped passes, bad coaching, players hurt, rookies are not miracle workers. a ryan clark signing as a free agent or a trade for james farrior or jerome bettis isn't going to happen every year. sadly the steelers are going throug a transition period. only one team, the patriots seem to know the true formula for success which is smart players,coaching turnover with excellent skills to get through to players, drafting players who are smart and true chemistry throughout the whole organization.

all these things are nice, but how can you stop players from blown assigments, penalties, dropped passes, bad coaching, players hurt, rookies are not miracle workers. a ryan clark signing as a free agent or a trade for james farrior or jerome bettis isn't going to happen every year. sadly the steelers are going throug a transition period. only one team, the patriots seem to know the true formula for success which is smart players,coaching turnover with excellent skills to get through to players, drafting players who are smart and true chemistry throughout the whole organization.

Tomlin took over a team already together and now it`s called the age factor. They have done little to nothing to replace old players. Example: How many tackles did #43 miss or not make this year? Don`t tell me he`s playing hurt. Another year he missed a bunch of games and they made him Defensive Player of the year.

This Steeler front office makes me sick. A first stringer can get away with murder. A 2nd or 3rd stringer slaps his girl friend a he gets cut from the team. Ben should have gone to the electric chair!!

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